Anthony Davis, Mavericks
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Anthony Davis of the Dallas Mavericks reacts to an officials call during a game against the San Antonio Spurs.
Anthony Davis finally addressed the swirl of reports surrounding his future — and he did it in the bluntest way possible.
“Y’all better stop listening to all these lies on these apps!” Davis posted on X late Tuesday, hours after reports surfaced that his season with the Dallas Mavericks was effectively over and that trade conversations involving the 10-time All-Star had intensified.
Davis did not specify which reports he was disputing. But the timing of the post was notable.
Earlier in the day, ESPN’s Shams Charania reported that Davis will undergo surgery to repair ligament damage in his left hand and is expected to miss several months — a prognosis that would effectively end his season in Dallas.
“Davis’ season is over in Dallas, sources said, given the prognosis and the Mavs’ direction at 15-25 and 12th in the Western Conference,” Charania wrote.
Charania later added that the injury has not slowed trade interest around the league.
“The Mavericks are having renewed Davis trade talks with multiple interested teams,” Charania posted on X. “If moved to a playoff contender, the return timeline could allow Davis to return during the postseason while establishing himself long-term elsewhere.”
How Anthony Davis Was Injured
Davis, 32, injured his hand late in Thursday’s loss to Utah while defending Lauri Markkanen on a drive. He still finished with 21 points, 11 rebounds, four assists and one block in 35 minutes.
Since arriving in Dallas as the centerpiece of the controversial February 2025 trade that sent Luka Dončić out of town, Davis has appeared in just 29 regular-season games.
This season he has averaged 20.4 points, 11.1 rebounds, 2.8 assists and 1.7 blocks. Dallas is 10-10 with him in the lineup and 5-15 without him.
Mavericks’ Direction Makes Davis Talks Inevitable
Dallas is no longer operating as a pure win-now team. At 15-25 and 12th in the West, the franchise has pivoted toward a longer-term outlook built around Rookie of the Year candidate Cooper Flagg.
That strategic shift makes patience less valuable and future assets more important.
Hawks–Mavericks Talks Lack Traction
Despite frequent speculation linking Atlanta to Davis, league insiders suggest that nothing close to a deal exists.
NBA insider Marc Stein reported Sunday that there is “no meaningful traction” between the Hawks and Mavericks.
“There is no meaningful traction at the moment, league sources say, in trade talks between Atlanta and Dallas on an Anthony Davis swap,” Stein wrote in The Stein Line. “The Mavericks have yet to receive an offer that would budge them into parting with Davis.”
The injury has only widened that gap.
The Pick That’s Stalling Everything
At the heart of the impasse is Atlanta’s 2026 first-round pick from New Orleans, a selection widely projected to land near the top of the draft and viewed by the Hawks as central to their rebuild.
Dallas wants that pick. Atlanta does not want to move it.
Sports Illustrated’s Chris Mannix reported that the Mavericks have repeatedly tried to pry it away.
“I can tell you with certainty that the Mavericks have been trying to pry away that New Orleans Pelicans pick from the Hawks for some time now,” Mannix said on the Open Floor podcast. “That has been on the mind of the Mavericks’ front office.”
That stalemate explains why — despite surface-level interest — talks have gone nowhere.
Davis’ Market Reality
Davis remains one of the most decorated players of his era, with four first-team All-NBA selections, one second-team nod, an NBA championship and a spot on the league’s 75th Anniversary Team.
But his market is complicated by his age — he turns 33 in March — his extensive injury history, a $54.1 million salary this season, a $62 million player option for 2027-28 and a reported desire for a contract extension.
Any team trading for him now would be paying for past excellence and future risk.
Why Dallas May Still Move Him
If Dallas trades Davis now, it would almost certainly be a sell-low move.
But the front office has changed.
Nico Harrison, who made Davis the centerpiece of the Dončić trade, is no longer with the organization. Interim decision-makers Michael Finley and Matt Riccardi are not attached to that transaction and may be more open to reshaping it.